Bringing Obamacare down to a personal level

How does health care reform affect ...

... those without insurance?

People making less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level (currently $44,680 for an individual) will get subsidies to buy health insurance. Eligibility for the low-income Medicaid program also will expand. Healthy people who can afford insurance but choose not to buy it will be required to buy a policy or pay a penalty.

... workers who buy insurance through their employer? Employers will tell workers by March if they will have to buy insurance on the health care exchange or if they will continue to offer benefits. If your employer continues to offer insurance, the enrollment process should remain about the same.

... business owners? Many companies are expected to wait until the health care exchanges are operating in 2014 before deciding whether to continue to offer benefits. Companies that compete fiercely for employees probably will maintain benefits. Owners of companies organized as S corporations could see their taxes go up in 2013 as higher tax rates take effect for individuals making $200,000 or more per year.

... insurancecompanies?

Most insurers have implemented parts of the ACA. They can't reject children who already are sick and can't impose lifetime limits on coverage. Starting in 2014, insurers must accept anyone who applies - but also should get millions of new customers as the requirement to buy insurance kicks in.

... doctors?

More patients should gain access to primary care as they get insurance and realize they won't pay co-payments for preventive care such as mammograms and physicals. That will further strain the limited supply of primary care doctors and some experts say patients will have trouble finding an available doctor.

... hospitals?

Hospitals already are receiving smaller reimbursements from Medicare, but they should see fewer patients show up at the emergency room unable to pay because they don't have insurance. Even if those two factors cancel each other out, Medicare just started assessing penalties for excessive re-admissions. Currently, roughly 20 percent of Medicare patients return to the hospital within a month of being discharged.

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Bringing Obamacare down to a personal level

People making less than 400 percentCQ of the federal poverty level (currently $44,680 for an individual) will get subsidies to buy health insurance.